Ask for the window model and its specification for the exact apartment you are considering. Record the performance figures, their units and what they describe, then separate those figures from questions about installation and the room itself.

This guide helps you prepare questions for a new-build apartment in Yerevan. It does not set Armenian building requirements, certify a window or predict heating and cooling bills.

1. Identify the window before comparing figures

Request a specification that identifies the proposed or installed product. Write down whether the information concerns your selected apartment, a showroom example or a product that may still change.

Ask for:

  • Manufacturer and model, including the glazing configuration.
  • Which rooms and window openings the document covers.
  • Whether each figure describes the whole window or only the glass.
  • Units, test or rating reference, and document date.
  • Whether this is the planned specification or the installed configuration.

If the answer is only a brand name or an undated brochure, leave the missing fields open. Ask the representative to connect the document to your apartment in writing.

2. Read heat transfer, solar gain and light separately

These fields answer different questions. The US Department of Energy describes them as follows:

  • U-factor: heat transfer through a window; a lower value means less transfer.[1]
  • Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC): solar heat admitted through glazing; a lower value means less solar heat gain.[1]
  • Visible transmittance (VT): visible light transmitted; a higher value means more light passes through.[1]

Use the definitions to ask better questions. Do not choose a window simply because one number is the lowest. Before comparing U-factors, ask a specialist to confirm that the units and rating scope match.

If a sheet uses different terminology, ask the supplier to explain the original label and test method. Do not relabel a figure yourself or assume it is equivalent to one listed here.

3. Add the apartment's context

Record which way each window faces and what shades it. ENERGY STAR's guidance considers orientation and climate when discussing window selection.[2]

For your chosen apartment, ask a local building-performance specialist to interpret the specification alongside the room layout, glazing area and shading. This article does not assign Yerevan to a US climate zone or recommend a universal U-factor or SHGC target.

A useful question is: "Which features of this room were considered when selecting this window, and where is that assessment recorded?" If no assessment is available, record that limitation; a sales promise is not a substitute.

4. Keep installation questions separate

A product specification does not settle the installation question. ENERGY STAR warns that even good windows can be drafty when poorly installed.[2]

Ask who can explain the installation details and provide the relevant instructions. During a permitted viewing, note visible damage or concerns without dismantling, adjusting or testing the window yourself. If something needs assessment, request an appropriately qualified local professional.

For an unfinished apartment, distinguish a promised product from an installed one. Ask when the installed configuration and its condition can be checked. A sample in another room should remain labelled as a sample.

5. Copy this request and comparison note

Send the same request for each apartment:

"Please provide the window model and glazing configuration for this apartment, the dated performance specification with units and rating scope, and the relevant installation information. Please identify anything not yet confirmed or subject to change."

Keep these fields in your note:

  • Development, address, apartment and room:
  • Proposed or installed model and glazing configuration:
  • Specification document and date:
  • U-factor, units and whole-window/glass scope:
  • SHGC and rating scope:
  • VT and rating scope:
  • Orientation and shading noted:
  • Installation information received:
  • What was documented, what was reported, and what remains unknown:
  • Missing information, person to ask and next check:

This is a record-keeping method, not a pass/fail checklist. A completed note may still contain unresolved questions.

6. Finish with a specific next step

Request missing documents before treating two window specifications as comparable. Keep a blank field marked "not confirmed" until there is an answer you can identify and check.

Save the note for your next apartment viewing. For broader shortlisting, read Dignisi's guide to choosing a new-build apartment in Yerevan.

Sources

[1] https://www.energy.gov/cmei/femp/purchasing-energy-efficient-residential-windows-doors-and-skylights [2] https://www.energystar.gov/products/res_windows_doors_skylights